10.012
Pancharatra: Krishna tells Yudhisthira, Ashwatthama is restless and has Brahmashira weapon, and so, Bhima should be protected.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
tasmin prayāte durdharṣe yadūnām ṛṣabhas tataḥ। abravīt puṇḍarīkākṣaḥ kuntī-putraṃ yudhiṣṭhiram ॥10-12-1॥
After Durdharsha, the foremost among the Yadus, had departed, the lotus-eyed Krishna spoke to Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti.
eṣa pāṇḍava te bhrātā putraśokam-apārayan। jighāṃsur drauṇim ākrande yāti bhārata bhārataḥ ॥10-12-2॥
O Pāṇḍava, your brother, unable to bear the grief for his son, is going in lamentation to kill Aśvatthāman, O descendant of Bharata.
bhīmaḥ priyaste sarvebhyo bhrātṛbhyo bharatarṣabha। taṃ kṛcchragatamadya tvaṃ kasmānnābhyavapadyase ॥10-12-3॥
O bull of the Bharatas, Bhima is dear to you and to all your brothers. Why do you not approach him today when he is afflicted?
yattadācaṣṭa putrāya droṇaḥ parapurañjayaḥ। astraṃ brahmaśiro nāma dahedyatpṛthivīmapi ॥10-12-4॥
Droṇa, the conqueror of enemy cities, explained to his son the weapon called Brahmashira, which could burn even the earth.
tan-mahātmā mahābhāgaḥ ketuḥ sarva-dhanuṣmatām। pratyapādayad-ācāryaḥ prīyamāṇo dhanañjayam ॥10-12-5॥
The great-souled and most fortunate leader among all archers, the teacher, being pleased, entrusted Dhananjaya (Arjuna).
tatputro'syaivamevaiman-anvayāca damarṣaṇaḥ. tataḥ provāca putrāya nātihṛṣṭamanā iva ॥10-12-6॥
Then his son Damarshana requested him in this way. Then, appearing not very pleased, he spoke to his son.
viditaṃ cāpalaṃ hyāsīd ātmajasya mahātmanaḥ। sarvadharmavidācāryo nānviṣat satataṃ sutam ॥10-12-7॥
It was well known that the son of the great-souled man was restless; the teacher, who knew all dharmas, did not constantly look for the boy.
paramāpad-gatenāpi na sma tāta tvayā raṇe। idam astraṃ prayoktavyaṃ mānuṣeṣu viśeṣataḥ ॥10-12-8॥
O dear one, even if you are in the greatest danger, you must never use this weapon in battle, especially against humans.
ity-uktavān guruḥ putraṃ droṇaḥ paścād athoktavān। na tvaṃ jātu satāṃ mārge sthāte ti puruṣarṣabha ॥10-12-9॥
After saying this, the teacher Droṇa then addressed his son again: 'You will never follow the path of the virtuous, O best of men.'
sa tadājñāya duṣṭātmā pitur vacanam apriyam। nirāśaḥ sarvakalyāṇaiḥ śocan paryapatan mahīm ॥10-12-10॥
He, realizing the unpleasant words of his father, the wicked-minded one, lost all hope for happiness and, grieving, collapsed to the ground.
tatas tadā kuruśreṣṭha vanasthe tvayi bhārata। avasad dvārakām etya vṛṣṇibhiḥ paramārcitaḥ ॥10-12-11॥
Then, O best of the Kurus, while you were living in the forest, O Bharata, he went to Dvārakā and was greatly honored by the Vṛṣṇis.
sa kadācitsamudrānte vasandrāravatīmanu। eka ekaṃ samāgamya māmuvāca hasanniva ॥10-12-12॥
Once, while dwelling at the edge of the ocean along the Draravati, he approached me one by one and said, as if smiling.
yattadugraṃ tapaḥ kṛṣṇa caransatyaparākramaḥ। agastyādbhāratācāryaḥ pratyapadyata me pitā ॥10-12-13॥
O Krishna, my father, whose valor was truth, practiced severe austerities and obtained them from Agastya, the teacher of the Bharatas.
astraṃ brahmaśiro nāma devagandharvapūjitam। tadadya mayi dāśārha yathā pitari me tathā ॥10-12-14॥
O Dasharha, today I possess the weapon called Brahmashira, revered by gods and gandharvas, just as my father did.
asmattas tad upādāya divyam astraṃ yadūttama। mamāpy astraṃ prayaccha tvaṃ cakraṃ ripuharaṃ raṇe ॥10-12-15॥
O best of the Yadus, after taking that divine weapon from me, please grant me your own weapon as well—the discus that destroys enemies in battle.
sa rājanprīyamāṇena mayāpyuktaḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ। yācamānaḥ prayatnena matto'straṃ bharatarṣabha ॥10-12-16॥
O king, he, with joined palms and affection, earnestly begged me for the weapon, O best of the Bharatas.
devadānavagandharvamanuṣyapatagoragāḥ। na samā mama vīryasya śatāṃśenāpi piṇḍitāḥ ॥10-12-17॥
Gods, demons, gandharvas, humans, birds, and serpents are not even equal to a hundredth part of my strength.
idaṃ dhanur iyaṃ śaktir idaṃ cakram iyaṃ gadā। yadyad icchasi ced astraṃ mattas tat tad dadāni te ॥10-12-18॥
Here are this bow, this spear, this discus, and this mace. Whatever weapon you desire from me, I will give it to you.
yacchaknoṣi samudyantuṃ prayoktamapi vā raṇe। tadgṛhāṇa vināstreṇa yanme dātumabhipsasi ॥10-12-19॥
Take whatever you are able to raise or use in battle, even without a weapon; whatever you wish to give me.
sa sunābhaṃ sahasrāraṃ vajranābhamayasmyam। vavre cakraṃ mahābāho spardhamāno mayā saha ॥10-12-20॥
O mighty-armed one, he chose the discus with a thousand spokes, a good and thunderbolt hub, and iron rim, competing together with me.
gṛhāṇa cakram ity ukto mayā tu tad anantaram। jagrāha upetya sahasā cakraṃ savyena pāṇinā ॥ na ca etad aśakat sthānāt sañcālayitum acyuta ॥10-12-21॥
I told him, 'Take the discus.' But right after that, he quickly approached and seized the discus with his left hand. Yet, O Acyuta, he could not move it from its place.
atha tad dakṣiṇena api grahītum upacakrame। sarva-yatnena tena api gṛhṇan etad akalpayat ॥10-12-22॥
Then he tried to grasp it with his right hand as well, but despite all his efforts, he could not succeed in holding it.
tataḥ sarvabalenāpi yaccaitanna śaśāka saḥ। uddhartuṃ vā cālayituṃ drauṇiḥ paramadurmanāḥ ॥ kṛtvā yatnaṃ paraṃ śrāntaḥ sa nyavartata bhārata ॥10-12-23॥
Then, O Bhārata, Drona's son, despite all his strength, could not lift or move it; after making every effort and becoming exhausted and deeply dejected, he turned back.
nivṛttam atha taṃ tasmād abhiprāyād vicetasam। aham āmantrya susnigdham aśvatthāmānam abruvam ॥10-12-24॥
Then, seeing him withdrawn from that purpose and dispirited, I addressed Aśvatthāman very affectionately and spoke to him.
yaḥ sa devamanuṣyeṣu pramāṇaṃ paramaṃ gataḥ। gāṇḍīvadhanvā śvetāśvaḥ kapipravaraketanaḥ ॥10-12-25॥
He, who among gods and men has reached the highest standard—Arjuna, the wielder of the Gandiva bow, with white horses and the banner of Hanuman.
yaḥ sākṣād devadeveśaṃ śitikaṇṭha umāpatim। dvandvayuddhe parājiṣṇuḥ toṣayāmāsa śaṅkaram ॥10-12-26॥
He who, having been defeated in the duel, directly pleased Śaṅkara, the blue-throated Lord of lords and husband of Umā.
yasmāt priyataro nāsti mamānyaḥ puruṣo bhuvi। nādeyaṃ yasya me kiñcid api dārāḥ sutās tathā ॥10-12-27॥
There is no man on earth dearer to me than him; there is nothing of mine, not even my wives or sons, that I would not give to him.
tenāpi suhṛdā brahman pārthenākliṣṭakarmaṇā। noktapūrvam idaṃ vākyaṃ yat tvaṃ mām abhibhāṣase ॥10-12-28॥
O Brahman, even by that friend, Arjuna, whose actions are tireless, you now address to me this statement which was never spoken before.
brahmacaryaṃ mahadghoraṃ cīrtvā dvādaśavārṣikam। himavatpārśvamabhyetya yo mayā tapasārcitaḥ ॥10-12-29॥
Having practiced intense celibacy for twelve years and having come to the side of the Himalayas, he whom I worshipped with austerities.
samānavratacāriṇyāṃ rukmiṇyāṃ yo'nvajāyata. sanatkumārastejasvī pradyumno nāma me sutaḥ ॥10-12-30॥
My son Pradyumna, also known as Sanatkumara, the brilliant one, was born to Rukmini, who followed the same vows.
tenāpy etan mahad divyaṃ cakram apratimaṃ mama। na prārthitam abhūn mūḍha yad idaṃ prārthitaṃ tvayā॥10-12-31॥
O fool, even he did not ask for this great, divine, unparalleled discus of mine, which you have now requested.
rāmeṇātibalenaitannoktapūrvaṃ kadācana। na gadena na sāmbena yadidaṃ prārthitaṃ tvayā ॥10-12-32॥
Neither Rāma nor Atibala, nor Gada nor Sāmba, has ever spoken or requested this before, as you have now done.
dvārakāvāsibhiścānyairvṛṣṇyandhakamahārathaiḥ। noktapūrvamidaṃ jātu yadidaṃ prārthitaṃ tvayā ॥10-12-33॥
Neither the residents of Dvārakā nor any other great warriors among the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas have ever before spoken what you have requested.
bhāratācāryaputraḥ sanmānitaḥ sarvayādavaiḥ। cakreṇa rathināṃ śreṣṭha kiṃ nu tāta yuyutsase ॥10-12-34॥
O father, the son of Bhārata’s teacher, honored by all the Yādavas and the best among chariot-warriors wielding the discus—why do you wish to fight?
evam-ukto mayā drauṇir mām idaṃ pratyuvāca ha। prayujya bhavate pūjāṃ yotsye kṛṣṇa tvayety-uta ॥10-12-35॥
When I spoke thus, the son of Droṇa replied to me: "O Krishna, after offering worship to you, I will fight."
tatas te prārthitaṃ cakraṃ devadānavapūjitam। ajeyaḥ syāmiti vibho satyam etad bravīmi te ॥10-12-36॥
Then I gave you the discus, worshipped by gods and demons, as you requested. You said, "May I be invincible," O Lord; truly, I say this to you.
tvatto'haṃ durlabhaṃ kāmamanavāpyaiva keśava। pratiyāsyāmi govinda śivenābhivadasva mām ॥10-12-37॥
O Keśava, since I have not obtained my difficult wish from you, I will now return, O Govinda; please bid me farewell with auspiciousness.
etatsunābhaṃ vṛṣṇīnām ṛṣabheṇa tvayā dhṛtam। cakram apraticakreṇa bhuvi nānyo'bhipadyate ॥10-12-38॥
O chief of the Vṛṣṇis, this well-centered discus, held by you, is unmatched; no one else on earth can attain it.
etāvad uktvā drauṇir māṃ yugyam aśvān dhanāni ca। ādāya upayayau bālo ratnāni vividhāni ca॥10-12-39॥
Having said this, the son of Droṇa yoked the horses and treasures to my chariot; then, taking the boy, he approached various gems and riches.
sa saṁrambhī durātmā ca capalaḥ krūra eva ca। veda cāstraṁ brahmaśirastasmādrakṣyo vṛkodaraḥ ॥10-12-40॥
He is impetuous, wicked, restless, and cruel, and he knows the Brahmashiras weapon; therefore, Bhima (Vrikodara) must be protected.
